Thursday, August 23, 2012

60 Best Money Saving Tips For This Back to School Season

This year, families are on track to spend an average of $688 on back-to-school supplies, a figure that’s up 14% over last year’s numbers. This already high figure should be even bigger for college students, who don’t just have regular school supplies, but books and even dorm room accessories, too. Don’t despair just yet — we have good news, too: there are plenty of ways to cut your back-to-school bill, and we’ve shared 60 of them here. Read on, and you’ll find seemingly endless options available to avoid going broke during back-to-school season.

General

These ideas work whether you’re picking pens or a brand new pair of jeans.

So often, stores put a select few supplies on sale as a loss leader to get you in the door. If you’re careful, you can spot these items in weekly circulars, and pick up your supplies little by little for very cheap.

All those loss leader deals aren’t likely to be in the same place: stores are counting on you to stick around and buy higher margin items. But you don’t have to. Shop around, breaking your school supply list into a variety of different stores.

Shopping around for the best deals is time consuming and expensive. If you’re going to do it all in one weekend, you’ll be exhausted and spend a lot of money on gas. But if you take your time, picking up select items as you go about your errands over a few weeks, you can not only spread out the expense, but make it painless to pick and choose among the best deals.

Many states offer tax-free weekends, allowing back-to-school shoppers to pick up essentials without having to pay tax. Covered items typically include school supplies, clothes, even electronics, offering a state-sponsored way to get a great deal.

You’ll find good deals in the back-to-school rush, but great deals are to be found after school has already started. Consider what you can do without for the first month or so, like clothes, and buy them after Labor Day.

School supplies should be made to last at least one school year, if not more. Items like backpacks, even markers are often better and last longer when you buy a name brand that’s just a bit more expensive.

Whether you’re shopping online or in store, coupons can make a big difference. Check it out before you go and save money. You can often find promotions through social media, QR codes, and even text coupons.

Whether you’re shopping for clothes, electronics, or paper, there’s a chance you might find what you need in the clearance section. Stop by and check out what’s there before spreading out to the rest of the store.

Just about every college campus has a printing option that’s more affordable than buying your own. Students may be required to submit assignments electronically, and student libraries typically offer printing for free or low cost.

Clothes

Build out your new back to school wardrobe on the cheap with these ideas.

Instead of hitting the mall for all new outfits, get a few from your friends. Host a clothing swap party to get together and celebrate before the school year, and even pick up some fun new pieces to wear to school.

Shoes, jeans, and other foundation pieces are a great place to spend a little extra money. Look for quality and a fit that makes you happy to ensure that you’ll get the most wear out of your most expensive pieces.

Keep in mind that your school may have an appropriate dress code. Find out the rules and make sure you aren’t purchasing any items that won’t be allowed. You’ll just be wasting your money as they sit useless in your closet.

This is especially true for those going to school out of state. You may be used to snow-capped winters, but if you’re going to school in, say, Florida, you can cut many expensive winter items out of your back-to-school clothing budget.

The content will be nearly the same as new editions, but the price will almost certainly have been dropped. Pick up an old edition of your textbooks for cheap, but be sure to check with your professor first.

Dorm Life

Instead of stocking up on prepackaged items like cokes and individual servings on chips and other treats, just buy them in larger sizes and put them in reusable containers. You’ll save money in the long run.

Consider what you can strike off your dorm room must-have list. DVDs can be replaced with Netflix. You may not ever use kitchen items like a fridge, microwave, or tea kettle when you have an entire cafeteria full of food. Think about what’s really important for your dorm room comfort.